After the mind gets 99,9% quiet, the real deep work starts. Can a thought "appear"  without hearing it? YES Past, future both exist now. Linearity doesn't exist, everything exists now. (Parallel dimensions existing in the now) A past attachment, judgement can project itself into the future. Than in this future now moment, let's say you don't have any perceived thoughts, you abide in this no-mind state of pure silence. Your in this awarness without thoughts but that doesn't mean ego is not affecting you in the now or that your not trapped anymore by ego. It's totally possible for the ego to hide, it can also transform into an observer ego. "The subconscious mind only thinks in the present." -cited from a Picture. That means that it's possible for the mind(ego) to get you trapped EVEN if your abiding in the silenced mind without hearing mental sounds at all.     Concious awarness(beta brainwaves) = thinking mind, past and future thoughts, critical thinking, intellectualism, planning, hearning mental sounds, monkey mind.... Subconscious awarness(alpha&theta brainwaves) = accessed by meditation. All thoughts, feelings, experiences stored here. Programmed by your thoughts. Always in the "now". Deep thought. Allows you to break mental barriers. Unconscious mind (delta brainwaves) = the core of who You are Some even reference the concious (lower self), the subconscious(higher self) and unconscious mind (the highest self). In yogis, monks and experienced meditators a lot of delta brainwaves are present.   "Delta brain waves are traditionally associated with deep sleep and are the slowest of the brain waves, occurring from 0-3.5 Hertz. Usually, only the most advanced meditators can remain wakeful while producing delta brain waves" from: https://schoolofmodernspirituality.com/LightBox-Pages/Zen-Study.htm   Both citations from:     What do you think about that insight of going beyond silence?